But when the season opened for real Sunday night, Kilpatrick was ready, scoring 13 points with a career-high nine rebounds while going five-for-five from the free throw line in UC’s 65-40 victory over Alabama State before 4,624 fans at Fifth Third Arena.

“Coach told me at our last practice that we went two games without me even getting a free throw,” Kilpatrick said. “I just wanted to start from the free throw line.”

Kilpatrick had plenty of help. Yancy Gates produced the 14th double-double of his career with 15 points and 11 rebounds; Dion Dixon scored 14 points, and Cashmere Wright added 10.

Sophomore Justin Jackson, coming off a 24-point game in the exhibition victory over Northern Kentucky, scored only four, but grabbed seven rebounds and blocked three shots with three steals while playing on a strained Achilles tendon. The Bearcats blocked 10 shots as a team.

No. 21 UC (1-0) scored the first eight points, led 18-2 six minutes into the game, and cruised to an easy victory over a team that played in the NCAA Tournament last year and has been picked to win the Southwestern Athletic Conference this year.

The Hornets scored only 14 points in the first half, the fewest allowed in a half by UC under Cronin. They shot 23.3 percent in the first half, went 0-for-8 from 3-point range and committed 11 turnovers.

“The first half we didn’t do too much of anything well,” said Alabama State coach Lewis Jackson. “Gates just overpowered us throughout the course of the game.”

Kilpatrick, who averaged 9.7 points last year and made the Big East all-rookie team, is being asked to fill a larger role this year and Cronin is making sure that Kilpatrick understands the greater expectations.

“He knows how to really get me amped up,” Kilpatrick said. “He pushes my buttons, but I like it. He tells I’ve got to be effective. If not, when the Big East rolls around, there’s going to be trouble.”

Cronin’s message, delivered in a talk he had with Kilpatrick after the NKU game, was that he had to become more of a complete player.

“You can’t rely on shooting,” Cronin said. “You have to be a complete player. His weakness is he wants to do so well, he puts so much pressure on himself that he’s almost in nervous breakdown mode at times.”

UC shot 45.3 percent from the field, but made only three of 16 from long range, failing to take advantage of some deft passing in the first half that created numerous open looks.

“We’ve still got to get better on offense,” Gates said. “We still only had 65 points. If we’re going to be good, we’ve got to get up close to that 75, 80 range on a regular basis.”

UC junior center Cheikh Mbodj, still battling a sprained ankle, did not play Sunday and will not play Tuesday against Jacksonville State, but Cronin said he’s getting closer.

Junior guard JaQuon Parker also did not play. What was thought to be a pulled groin muscle has now been diagnosed as a torn muscle, which means Parker could be out an additional four to six weeks.

GAME TIME SET: Saturday’s home game against Presbyterian will begin at 4 p.m.